MK Yitzhak Goldknopf (United Torah Judaism) caused a stir on Sunday during a Knesset House Committee meeting on the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study, when he made comments about the issue of draft evasion.
In his remarks, Goldknopf stated: "I heard here some poignant things that I never dreamed I'd have to talk about. I'm sure that the draft dodgers you're talking about are the draft dodgers who live in Tel Aviv."
His remarks provoked strong reactions from Knesset members present at the session, some of whom disrupted his speech, shouting: "Shame on you, what nonsense!"
Goldknopf continued, saying that he was referring to those who "receive legal permission from Habima (performing arts theater), or from basketball, or soccer." Those present responded by stating that even professional athletes serve in the IDF.
Later in his remarks, Goldknopf stressed the importance of Torah study: "We certainly appreciate all those who stand on the front and all those who choose this path, but there is no and would not be a Land of Israel without the Torah of Israel, and we all know this."
He added that "there are great sages, there are instructions from generations back on how the Torah must be studied in the Land of Israel and how it must be studied around the world." According to the MK, "We live in a world with so many countries, I don't know of any where they arrested someone who studied the Torah or prevented someone from studying the Torah."